ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR CHEMISTS AND PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENTISTS PART 2 - 2027/8
Module code: CHE1049
Module Overview
This module further develops subject-specific skills underpinning your first year of study at degree level, as well as enhancing your employability by development of transferrable skills:
Mathematics: for the manipulation of physical laws, basic calculations and applications of more advanced mathematical techniques in Chemistry
Computing: for the manipulation and presentation chemical and experimental data, basics of molecular modelling, responsible use of genAI
Independent reading, writing and presentation skills on chemically relevant information and job/placement applications
These skills are essential to the study of Chemistry and allied sciences and will be built upon further in all future modules on this degree, and particularly those with a significant laboratory component.
Module provider
Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
Module Leader
SACCHI Marco (Chst Chm Eng)
Number of Credits: 15
ECTS Credits: 7.5
Framework: FHEQ Level 4
Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A
Overall student workload
Workshop Hours: 14
Independent Learning Hours: 82
Lecture Hours: 19
Tutorial Hours: 8
Guided Learning: 9
Captured Content: 18
Module Availability
Semester 2
Prerequisites / Co-requisites
None
Module content
Indicative content includes:
Further mathematics for physical sciences
¿ Derivative and integral calculus
¿ Principles of multivariate calculus
¿ Application of matrices in Chemistry
¿ Complex numbers
¿ Polynomial series relevant to Chemistry
Computing
¿ Use of databases of chemically relevant information
¿ Use of presentation software
¿ ChemDraw® for chemical drawing and analysis
¿ Responsible use of genAI and academic integrity
Independent reading, writing and presentation skills
¿ Searching for appropriate scholarly sources
¿ Presenting in the professional setting
¿ CV and cover letter preparation for job/placement applications
Assessment pattern
| Assessment type | Unit of assessment | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Oral exam or presentation | Company/product report presentation | 35 |
| Coursework | CV writing task | 10 |
| Coursework | Cover letter writing task | 10 |
| Coursework | ChemDraw task | 25 |
| Examination | Closed book exam (maths) 2 hrs | 20 |
Alternative Assessment
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Assessment Strategy
The assessment strategy is designed to provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate:
¿ Your competence in key mathematical skills
¿ Your ability to independently read and present scientific information professionally and responsibly without the abuse of genAI
¿ Your competence in and understanding of the outputs of Chemistry software
¿ Your ability to write professional CVs and cover letters
Thus, summative assessment in the module consists of:
Company/product report (presentation)*, in which you will present on the findings of your research culminating in the report submitted in the corresponding assessment last semester, to an academic panel (LO5,6) (35%)
CV writing task, in which you will prepare a professional CV and demonstrate how you have improved its preparation. (LO5,7) (10%)
Cover letter writing task, in which you will prepare a professional cover letter (to accompany your previously prepared CV) for a named position. (LO5,7) (10%)
ChemDraw task, to allow you to demonstrate your ability to present and analyse chemically relevant data using the software and database you have been trained on. (LO4,6) (25%)
Closed book exam (maths) at the end of semester on the ¿further mathematics for physical scientists¿ content, covering the whole semester¿s material. These exams will allow you to demonstrate your competency in the key maths skills in a closed-book environment, necessary for application in later study. (LO1-3) (20%)
*As part of our commitment to inclusive education and in alignment with institutional and legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010, this assessment strategy has been updated to incorporate a recorded video professional presentation as an alternative format for students who have documented health conditions, neurodivergent profiles, or disability-related requirements. For further information, please contact the module coordinator.
Formative assessment and feedback are provided throughout the module, supporting the Learning Objectives as follows:
¿ In-class problems: opportunities for feedback are created through your engagement with and response to in-class questions/problems posed by the lecturer (LO1-4).
¿ Self-test resources in SurreyLearn: automated feedback is provided on self-tests based on content covered in the maths and statistics lectures (LO1-3).
¿ Workshop sessions: feedback will be given to you by the tutor based on your answers to the assigned problems in your preparation before the session, as well as your ability to solve open-ended problems in the dedicated skills and computing workshops (LO4-7).
Other opportunities for feedback include:
¿ 1:1 feedback on attempts at practice exam papers by appointment with the module coordinator
¿ 1:1 feedback on formative and summative coursework by appointment with the module coordinator
Module aims
- Achieve competency in further mathematical skills for physical sciences
- Achieve competency in the presentation and analysis of chemically relevant information using appropriate software
- Demonstrate your ability to present chemically relevant information in a professional setting and/or job applications
- Demonstrate understanding of the responsible use of genAI in a professional scientific setting
Learning outcomes
| Attributes Developed | Ref | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Evaluate total and partial differentials, and integrals of a range of functions | CK | LO1 |
| 002 | Understand and use matrices for chemically relevant applications | CK | LO2 |
| 003 | Understand and perform simple operations with complex numbers and polynomial series | CK | LO3 |
| 004 | Apply relevant software to the analysis and presentation of chemically relevant information | CKPT | LO4 |
| 005 | Write and present professionally for job/placement applications | P | LO5 |
| 006 | Read, understand and present chemical information appropriately in the professional setting | CPT | LO6 |
| 007 | Responsibly use genAI with academic integrity | CPT | LO7 |
Attributes Developed
C - Cognitive/analytical
K - Subject knowledge
T - Transferable skills
P - Professional/Practical skills
Methods of Teaching / Learning
The learning & teaching strategy is designed to develop your confidence in important mathematics knowledge and its application to chemically relevant situations and develop your relevant professional and transferrable skills through interactive workshops.
The methods used will include:
Lectures in mathematics: a mixture of presentation from a lecturer, with built-in problems and questions based on the material. You will be invited to contribute solutions or comments on the problems and receive in-class feedback.
Computing workshops: in which you enhance your Digital Capabilities through an active approach, learning to use relevant software to process and present data.
Skills workshop sessions: a highly varied series of interactive sessions covering key professional and transferrable skills as highlighted above.
Self-study material including self-tests, provided through SurreyLearn, which supports the lecture material.
Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.
Reading list
https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: CHE1049
Other information
Within the University¿s broader education strategy, this module particularly develops students¿ Digital Capabilities. Students will likely for the first time use dedicated Chemistry software to present and synthesise new information. This includes the ChemDraw software which is used to present chemical information in a professional manner as well as predict chemical properties; this software forms the basis of your reporting practice across other modules and for graduate scientists. Your work with genAI to identify its responsible use and advantages/limitations is a key digital capability. The requirement of some significant amount of self-study, particularly in the mathematics section also helps develop students¿ your Resourcefulness & Resilience. You¿ll be required to engage in self-study to identify your areas for development in maths, particularly if you have not completed an A-level or its equivalent qualification in maths. The aspects of this module covering professional and transferrable skills such as preparation of job/placement application documents, presentation skills, and genAI use are all key skills in Employability. These are deliberately timed so as to benefit your current studies and prepare you for the possibility of placement applications in the coming year. This module supports learning across all degree programmes in which it sits. Particular relevance can be found in the following modules (modes of support highlighted in brackets): ¿ CHE1041, CHE2041, CHE2042 (presentation of chemical information) ¿ CHE1043, CHE2040, CHE2042 (mathematics)
Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2027/8 academic year.